Out of curiosity, will the release of 4th Edition D&D affect your purchase of the various D&D novels published by WotC?
Nope. But thats because I outgrew TSR/WotC's novels about ten years ago, about when I graduated from high school. And to think I used to love DragonLance...
Ah well, I've been having a blast reading classic fantasy lately. Robert Howard really was a great writer! There's a reason Conan is still part of our pop culture today.
Some of the information that has come out about the Raven Queen and the other denizens of the Shadowfell seems intriguing. A decently written book around that subject might tempt me.
The interaction between the Feywild and the normal realm generates a bit of a paradox. It has a lot of personality because it was inspired somewhat by Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. But if a story derived from the D&D equivalent hewed too close to the style of that excellent book, it would probably be unreadable for me. I can read and enjoy stuff, even down to the level of mediocre, but not if I get reminded regularly that I could be spending the time looking at something much the same, only better.
So the Obsidian Ridge novel is set in 3.5 Faerun?
Darn and I thought it was the first 4e novel given what its blurb talks about!
I'll probably buy a few more than normal at first, to see how the feel of the new game translates into prose. Assuming it's good I might follow along with some of the big storylines. If not I'll probably stop buying any for a while in the hopes of letting the authors get a feel for the new edition and how to tell stories in it.
Interesting! I'm one of those that would buy most of the Forgotten Realms novels, but I find that with the announced 4E changes for FR... I'm just losing interest in the setting. It's like they're destroying all the stuff I liked, to make way for "WoW Realms". Probably the last two I'll get will be Smedman's Ascendency of the Last and Kemp's Shadowrealm, then I'll be on to other things I think.
I love Forgotten Realms. But the thing I've always loved most about Faerun is that it's long history is always changing and evolving. It's defined for me largely be events like the Fall of Netheril, the Time of Troubles, the Year of Rogue Dragons, and similar huge events that cause a real footprint in the setting. The idea of a hundred year turmoil resulting in a vastly changed Faerun is exciting like crazy to me. I've been reading about the changes and it really feels like something I want to jump into. A whole 'nuther Faerun with new characters and new vistas. I dig that. More than that, as a gamer I enjoy the fact that there's a new hundred years of history to go and fill in the blank spaces with in campaigns.
That said, 4e might just get me looking at Eberron books for once. Eberron always felt half-baked to me, but now that it's coming out again with some new 4e spin on it and a few years of play under its belt it feels like a more mature setting. Might take a look at the first few Eberron novels written for 4e.
What I'm really looking forward to though is to see if any books get written for their new Core World. That's the mystery, the "setting" for lack of a better word that I'm most interested in seeing depicted. Hopefully they do a good job with it. I'm a little nervous since it seems like a really new (or old, depending on how you look at it) way to envision D&D.
I've never read a single novel set in a fantasy RPG setting; paizo fiction would be my first. Only novels I read for any kind of game setting was Magic: the Gathering (Invasion cycle) and V: tM (Gangrel). Didn't really care for either of them. I'm waiting for Pathfinder fiction.
No.
I quit buying WotC (specifically, FR) novels back in 2000 when it became obvious that the majority of the authors didn't know crap about FR, and were more interested in constant (and silly) changes.
I certainly won't be buying any WotC novels now that they've 'blown up' the Realms.
I haven't really bought any DnD novels in some time. Mostly, I used to read Dragonlance with a small (VERY small) smattering of FR. The change to 4E won't really affect my novel purchasing one way or another really ... the real mover in this area would be school, which leaves me with little time to really read.
I miss reading though. :(
I've read pretty much all of the FR novels. At this point I have three trilogies to finish out and then I'll never buy another unless they fix this crap story. The spell plague is a joke.
I'll be getting the final volume of Ed Greenwood's "Knights of Myth Drannor" trilogy, and Elaine Cunningham's upcoming conclusion of the Arilyn/Danilo story.
After that, I'm probably done with WotC fiction and my closetful of FR novels (with a few Dragonlance, Spelljammer, Dark Sun and Planescape books mixed in) will not grow any larger.
I might make an exception for pre-Spellplague Realms novels by authors I like, if any such are published.
Otherwise, decks are cleared for Pathfinder novels.
yes - I used to buy a lot of them (I know, they are not high literature, but they are good to learn/relearn/stay in shape in a foreign language) - but I will stop soon, when I finished some of the book-series I curretnly enjoy. 4.0 stops my wotc support completely.
I stopped buying WoTC Novels after Year of the Rogue Dragon, I really loved The spiderqueen series (/apart from some minor details) but in TYotRD series you could just hear the dice rolling and book flipping for spells too much! And the author used too often the same phrases to describe combat and spell casting (maybe there was just too much fighting and too little story?). The Orc War Drizzt do Urden story was fine, but also this all seems to be made up too quickly and too forced out of the authors...
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I'll be getting the final volume of Ed Greenwood's "Knights of Myth Drannor" trilogy, and Elaine Cunningham's upcoming conclusion of the Arilyn/Danilo story.
I'll be reading those two as well. I'll finish RA Salvatore's Drizzt trilogy, but if he's forced to advance his stories into the 4E timeline and kill everyone except for Drizzt because of it, I'll probably won't continue reading those either.
I'll check out the Swordmage novel, not there's not a whole lot that interests me. I don't like a single thing about "4E Realms lore."
This might actually get me to read the rest of the Dragonlance novels that I've been wanting to read about the Chronicles characters. I've only read Chronicles and Legacy.
I enjoy Richard Lee Byers action packed writing style. His book that came out last month (Undead) takes place as the Spellplague begins.
I enjoy Richard Lee Byers action packed writing style. His book that came out last month (Undead) takes place as the Spellplague begins.
I'm almost through this novel, and I'm not sure I'll get the last one in the series. The spell plague is as lame as I feared.
I'm going to finish the Paul Kemp series I'm reading right now, as well as an arc featuring the Alu Fiend from war of the spider queen. (Can't remember the authors name off the top of my head, and I loaned the first part to a friend.) I'll most likely finish Greenwoods Knight of Mythdranor series, but I doubt I'll finish the current Drizz't series. Salvator's writing has never really impressed me, so the thought of listening to Drizz't lament the deaths of his friend would be like pulling teeth. Outside of that, I've got two other books that are waiting to be read, but I really just don't have it in me to finish them. It just really feels like there isn't much of a point. Spellplague comes, world goes to hell, skip to the future, everyones dead. The End.
I'll check out the Swordmage novel, not there's not a whole lot that interests me. I don't like a single thing about "4E Realms lore."
4th ed. Realmslore is going to have a much different flavor from <4e Realmslore, I predict, mainly because Ed won't be generating much of it. He was able to turn out article after article before because he had 40 years worth of copious notes and outlines sitting around...but the 100-year jump means very little of that will be useable anymore.
After the initial 4e core Realms book, I believe we'll be seeing far less participation from him in the Realms and far more on his other, non-Realms projects.
I'm going to finish the Paul Kemp series I'm reading right now, as well as an arc featuring the Alu Fiend from war of the spider queen. (Can't remember the authors name off the top of my head, and I loaned the first part to a friend.)
Thomas M. Reid's "Empyrean Odyssey" trilogy. That might be good. I was considering reading that and maybe Lisa Smedman's Lady Penitent trilogy. I might get around to it someday if I'm feeling nostalgic for the "classic Realms."
...but the 100-year jump means very little of that will be useable anymore.
Realmslore prior to the Spellplague is still very important for establishing ruins and adventure backstories. I often run games where adventurers are spending time exploring details from the past more than the present.
Thomas M. Reid's "Empyrean Odyssey" trilogy. That might be good. I was considering reading that and maybe Lisa Smedman's Lady Penitent trilogy. I might get around to it someday if I'm feeling nostalgic for the "classic Realms."
I want to finish Lady Penitent, but by knowing that Lolth is alive and well in 4E has kind of spoiled it for me. It means that either Lolth kills Eilistraee of Eilistraee kills Lolth and then by absorbing her power, becomes Lolth. :(
I feel cheated.
My first novel, The Sellsword, just hit the shelves this week. It's a Dragonlance novel, set just after the War of the Lance, and while I didn't write it specifically with 4th edition D&D in mind I am pretty confident that all of the characters in the book could be created with 4th edition rules. Heck, one of the villains is essentially a warlock.
There's a lot of debate right now, however, that some settings won't be able to work properly under 4e, or that 4e's implied setting will "infect" them. The Realms fans are very upset about the changes that are coming about with Faerun in the next year or two. Dragonlance novels are still scheduled all the way until 2009, but the future of that setting is completely unknown at this point.
Cheers,
Cam
My first novel, The Sellsword, just hit the shelves this week.
Congratulations!
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I enjoy Richard Lee Byers action packed writing style. His book that came out last month (Undead) takes place as the Spellplague begins.I'm almost through this novel, and I'm not sure I'll get the last one in the series. The spell plague is as lame as I feared.
I got about half way through the second book before I put it down. I won't be picking up the third book either.
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I'm going to finish the Paul Kemp series I'm reading right now, as well as an arc featuring the Alu Fiend from war of the spider queen. (Can't remember the authors name off the top of my head, and I loaned the first part to a friend.)Thomas M. Reid's "Empyrean Odyssey" trilogy. That might be good. I was considering reading that and maybe Lisa Smedman's Lady Penitent trilogy. I might get around to it someday if I'm feeling nostalgic for the "classic Realms."
I'll also finish Paul Kemp's Twilight War series. That has been a really interesting trilogy, and Everis Cale is one of my favorite FR characters. Plus, I've always had a spot in my heart for Shades.
I read the first book in the Empyrean Odyssey, but I'm not sure I'll be picking up the 2nd or 3rd books. I expect that they will also be spellplagued, which makes me not interested.
As for Salvatore's Transitions series - no thanks. I didn't really like the first book. The idea that, after thousands of years of dwarven civilization and history, they'd suddenly discover a heretofore unknown kingdom where dwarves and orcs lived in peace and harmony just seems ridiculous to me. Not to mention that the Drizzt and company stories are starting to seem repetitive.
That said, 4e might just get me looking at Eberron books for once. Eberron always felt half-baked to me....
Half-baked? Lol! That's funny when you consider that all the books are written by Keith Baker.
Nope-I really enjoyed the first two Dragonlance Trilogies back in the day, but all the pointless changes over the years destroyed the setting for me.
Picked up a copy of The Crystal Shard a few months back, just to see what it was all about and to indulge in a bit of nostalgia. Poor choice- it was overrated twaddle- proof positive that you can never go back.
Nope-I really enjoyed the first two Dragonlance Trilogies back in the day, but all the pointless changes over the years destroyed the setting for me.
Picked up a copy of The Crystal Shard a few months back, just to see what it was all about and to indulge in a bit of nostalgia. Poor choice- it was overrated twaddle- proof positive that you can never go back.
Try anything by Paul Kemp. In FR writing, he is top notch. It's not dumbed down like Salvatore.
Nope-I really enjoyed the first two Dragonlance Trilogies back in the day, but all the pointless changes over the years destroyed the setting for me.
No pointless changes in my book! Well, nothing too serious.
Cheers,
Cam
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...but the 100-year jump means very little of that will be useable anymore.Realmslore prior to the Spellplague is still very important for establishing ruins and adventure backstories. I often run games where adventurers are spending time exploring details from the past more than the present.
Well it's important to you, but it's not important unenough to them. The jump forward means they can create their own histories now, their own ruins, there own sites of importance.
I'll also finish Paul Kemp's Twilight War series. That has been a really interesting trilogy, and Everis Cale is one of my favorite FR characters. Plus, I've always had a spot in my heart for Shades.
Yes, I might finish that trilogy too. I've enjoyed all of those Sembia novels. (Well, most of them.)
I read the first book in the Empyrean Odyssey, but I'm not sure I'll be picking up the 2nd or 3rd books. I expect that they will also be spellplagued, which makes me not interested.
I figured that if the 4e Realms failed as a game setting (which I'm 95% certain it will), WotC would still keep hold of the IP because the novels sell well. But if all novels are being required to "upgrade" to the post-Spellplague Realms, I'm not sure they'll fare much better than the game materials.
As for Salvatore's Transitions series - no thanks. I didn't really like the first book. The idea that, after thousands of years of dwarven civilization and history, they'd suddenly discover a heretofore unknown kingdom where dwarves and orcs lived in peace and harmony just seems ridiculous to me. Not to mention that the Drizzt and company stories are starting to seem repetitive.
I've read all the Drizzt books up through "The Two Swords" and enjoyed them (although some of Salvatore's quirks still annoy me a bit). I won't be reading any more of them, though. Drizzt has been a reliable cash cow for WotC, but forcing him 100 years into the future...with no Bruenor, no Catti-brie, no Wulfgar or Regis, etc...I'm afraid the cash cow's udders are about to run dry.
I'm disappointed that the Forgotten Realms comics currently being published by Devil's Due will apparently focus exclusively on Drizzt for the forseeable future. They've gone through the Dark Elf Trilogy and Icewind Dale Trilogy and are now moving on into "Legacy." I was hoping they might do some other classic Realms stories...the Finder's Stone Trilogy, Spellfire, the Moonshae books...or maybe even some new, original stories...but it looks like Drizzt, Drizzt and more Drizzt as far as the eye can see. Bleah.